March 11, 1899.
THE ESTATES GAZETTE
392
license, and this among other points was represented to the committee by Mr. T. 0. Hopkins, who appeared with Mr. George T. Smith on behalf of a large number of appellants who are members of the Devizes and District Licensed Victuallers’ Association. The committee declined to take that point into consideration, though Mr. Ferris in some cases did present a revised valuation to meet it, but in the result considerable relief was granted in these cases, which will probably avoid appeals to petty sessions. With regard to the valuations as a whole, it may be stated in general terms that they were more or less increased.
Mr. Frank Day, the owner of the Suffolk Hotel, West-hill, Wandsworth, has again repeated his offer of £10,000 towards the West-hill widening, provided the license of the George and Dragon was transferred to the Suffolk Hotel, Mr. Collins having said that “officially” the District Board knew, nothing about it. Mr. Day also observes that if the Local Board, on considering the value of the properties to be acquired, consider even this sum inadequate, he will be pleased to receive a counter proposition from them. On the occasion of his first application before the licensing justices, when the petition in favour of the granting of this license was signed by over 90 per cent, of the inhabitants of the locality, his counsel was pointedly asked whether his application was officially supported by the Wandsworth Board of Works, and whether he proposed surrendering any license.
Owing to the fact that not only the George and Dragon, but practically the whole of the licensed houses in the district, were tied to brewers, he was precluded from acquiring a license to surrender, and noting that the proposed widening of West-hill was being taken in hand by the Local Board, and part of the scheme was the acquisition by them of the George and Dragon, and the pulling down of the same, ■he considered the moment opportune to come to the front with the bold offer of £10,000 towards relieving the ratepayers of the burden. Mr. Day has thus shown his willingness to advance the best interests of the ratepayers, and improve the locality, by having a first-class hotel situated in a matchless position (from a public point of view), linked, as it would be, with a public improvement, the value of which it would be impossible to overestimate.
A portion of the Duke of Beaufort’s Monmouthshire property, consisting of 23 hotels and public-houses, was sold by auction at Newport (Mon.), on Wednesday, by Messrs. Driver and Oo. (of 23, Pall Mall), for £26,600. At the sale there were spirited biddings by representatives of brewery companies, and consequently only a very few of the tenants were able to purchase. Details of the sale appear on another page.
SALES AT MASONS' HALL TAVERN.
Ghislehurst Common.
In two of the rooms at Masons’ Hall Tavern on Tuesday there were large audiences. A crowded company stood before Mr. ■T. Berwick Orgill (Messrs. Orgill, Marks and Orgill) who succeeded in selling the Crown, charmingly situate near two main roads at Ohislehurst-ecmmon, Kent. These premises, which were entirely rebuilt in attractive style a short time ago, are held on a tied lease for 39 years at a rent of £100 a year, but part of the stabling is let and produces £59 10s., so that the net rent is left at £40 10s. Mr. Orgill mentioned that fixtures, some of an unusual character, to the value of £800 had to be taken, and the stock would be £150. In describing the neighbourhood, Mr. Orgill said trade was derived from the shops and houses near the famous common, which was a favourite health resort for holiday makers and pleasure seekers, and the Crown had a large share of patronage from them and from beanfeast parties. The Ohisle-hurst band played outside the house during the summer, which, drew large crowds. Referring to Camden House, where the late Emperor of the French used to reside, Mr. Orgill stated that a company was being formed to purchase the Camden House Estate and make perfect golf links and a private hotel, ■where visitors could stay for the weekend, which would make Ohislehurst-common more popular than ever. A new station on the S.E.R. was to he constructed, and a branch line connecting the S.E.R. with the L.C. and D.R. had been mooted, whilst an agitation had been proceeding for allowing cottages to be built on the common. The auctioneer pointed out that the summer was coming on, and said that with one exception the Crown had not changed hands for many years. Competition began at £3,000 and was continued to £3,750, when Mr. Orgill let fall the hammer, and congratulated the purchaser on obtaining a bargain. For the Camden Head, in Ainsley-street, Bethnal-green-road, bids were forthcoming from £18,000 to
4d. in 1897. The gross profit was £10,368 5s. lid., against £8.069 9s., and the net profit £6,474 2s. lid., against £4,299 2s. 3d. The balance available for dividend, after adding £248 7s. 3d. carried over from 1897, was £6,722 10s. 2d. The directors recommended that a dividend of 5 per cent, per annum, free of income tax, be paid. This would absorb £5,974 10s., leaving a balance of £748 0s. 2d. to be carried forward. Considerable structural alterations, additions, and improvements ■have been carried out, including the rearrangement cf dining accommodation and the conversion of the old table d’hote room into a handsome billiard room containing two new tables. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said the Grand was the first large hotel in England, established under the Limited Liability Acts, the second having been the Alexandra at Hyde-park-comer.
With reference to the decision of the Queen’s Bench in the case of Langtry’s Restaurant, Manchester, a correspondent of the “ Manchester Guardian” explains that on some technical point in an old Act of Parliament which became law in 1840, the Queen’s Bench has, in effect■, ruled that objection may be taken to the renewal of the licenses of all or any of the restaurants in -the A division of Manchester and to the renewal of the many hundreds of similar licenses which exist throughout the kingdom, and, if so objected to, the justices are hound to take notice of such objection, because the proprietors do not ¡sleep on the premises, whereas, strange to say, in Scotland, with few exceptions, the justices insist that the licensee shall not sleep on the premises. If an appeal be not made to a higher Court, or if one is made and is not successful, and if the Act is not modified, they may be compelled to fit up sleeping accommodation, and the actual license holders will he compelled to sleep on the premises (no mere caretaker will do), or be required to surrender their licenses.
It is, says a contemporary, one of the traditions of Highclere Castle to brew a special cask of 500 gallons of beer to celebrate the birth of an heir to the Carnarvon earldom, which said beer is not tapped until the heir attains his majority. All who have ever tasted any of ■this special brew are well aware of its potency and excellence. The present Earl was away on a yachting tour when he came of age, and consequently there was no ceremony attaching to the broaching of his birthday beer, which was brewed in 1866. The custom is to he this month faithfully observed to celebrate the birth of the present Lord Porchoster. A special cask to hold 500 gallons has been manufactured by Mr. Sam Walter, of Newbury, who is among ■the few remaining representatives of the once thriving industry of country coopers. The cask is made of well-seasoned oak, grown on the Highclere Estate, is handed with massive brass hoops, and bears a brass coronet, and inscription	plate:—“May	Highclere
flourish. This cask of ale, containing 500 gallons, was brewed in commemoration of the birth of Lord Porchester, born November 7, 1898. Albeit Streatfield, butler, Highclere Castle, 1899.”
The sixth annual general meeting of the Hotel Metropole, Cromer, Limited, was held at Norwich, on Wednesday, Sir Kenneth Kemp, Bart, (chairman), presiding. The profits on the year’s working amounted to £1,608 2s. 10d., thus, with a balance of £106 14s. 3d. brought forward from the previous year, making a total of £1,714 17s. Id. After deducting £628 17s. for structural alterations, partly rebuilding and repaving the sea front, falls and general restorations to the hotel and contents, and other sums, there remained £800 16s. available for division. Out of this the directors recommended a dividend at the rate of £5 per cent., which will absorb £737 10s., leaving £63 6s. 4d. to be carried forward. Sir Kenneth Kemp, in moving the adoption of the report and financial statement, said the hotel returns had increased very satisfactorily as compared with those of ■the previous year. In 1897 they amounted to £6,150, and last year they were £7,140, or an increase of £1,000. The directors considered this to be a very satisfactory result, because every year brought increasing competition not only with hotels in Cromer, but also with those in other seaside places that were awakening to the fact that the east coast was the place for people to go to for restoration to sound health.
The Assessment Committee of the Devizes Union sat for several hours on Saturday to determine the new assessments of the licensed houses in the Union. The reassessment was decided on by the Board of Guardians some months ago, and Mr. George Ferris had been engaged to value the property. There are some 72 licensed houses in the Union, and each case was considered by the committee separately. We understand that in several cases the revaluation meant that for the sake of a few pounds on the rateable value of the Union considerable extra expense was involved for the
LICENSED PROPERTY NOTES.
The record of unsuccessful sales at Masons’ Hall Tavern was broken on Tuesday, when Mr. J. B. Orgill disposed of the Crown, on Chislehurst-common, for £3,750. Seven properties in all were offered, including the new Bull and Crown Hotel, Ohingford, and the Bear, a coaching and roadside hotel at Esher, Surrey.
In one of the very best positions of the famous episcopal city, Salisbury, is situated the valuable freehold business and residential premises, formerly known as the historic Old George Inn, and now designated Nos. 15 and 17, High-street, which Mr. John T. Woolley will fell by auction at the Castle Auction Mart, Sabs bury, on the 22nd inst. The residential portion contains 15 spacious bedrooms, and seven handsome reception rooms, together with the dining room, formerly the banqueting room of the Old George, which contains beautifully carved oak panelling and beams. The private portion of the property is admirably adapted for a private hotel, or for letting as apartments.
On March 1, five licensed houses in Doncaster were offered for sale by Mr. J. H. Crouch at the Salutation Hotel. The Wood-street Hotel was withdrawn at £2,600 ; the White Hart Inn, French-gate, at £1,000; and the George and Dragon, Marsh-gate, at £2,000; the Good Woman Inn, St. Sepulchre-gate, sold for £4,600; and the Salutation Hotel, withdrawn at £3,200. In 1894, much lower prices were offered for the same properties.
A sale of licensed and other properties was conducted by Mr. J. W. Florance, of Birmingham, on February 28, a total of £28,685 for eight lots being realised. The freehold Railway Inn, Wellington-street, let on a repairing lease, which expires in nine years from June next, with four houses producing £42 12s. per annum, realised £7,200. The freehold Prince of Wales, Alcester-road, Moseley, with possession, and the retail shop, 116, Alcester-road, sold for £14,100.
On March 2, at the Talbot Hotel, Stow-on-the-Wold, a fully-licensed house known as the Wine Vaults, situated in Market-square, was sold for £1,100.
Since the early years df the present century —when Tennyson attended its grammar school —•the commercial growth of the ancient town of Louth has been remarkable. It now possesses numerous establishments for malting, brewing, rcpe-making, bone-crushing, lime-burning, and briek-making. Close to the railway station, and in one of the finest positions of the town, is situated the valuable freehold fully-licensed property, known as Wellington Hotel, which Messrs. Dickinson and Riggall ־will offer for sale at the Masons’ Arms Hotel, Louth, on the 22nd inst. The sale will include the brew-house, sta'bles, carnage house, outbuildings, garden, etc., the entire site containing in all about 1,950 square yards.
The Stag Inn, which stands an Castle-lane, Westminster, is to be demolished. This house, which dates from the early part of the 17th or 16th century, enjoys the peculiar distinction of having or.ce been the favoured resort of that incomparable hero of British boyhood, Dick Turpin, and other highwaymen. The Stag is■ a queer old house. Its ancient smoky wainscot-ting, its charming little window seats, its low smoke-dried roofs are all a delight to look upon. Then the accommodating iandlord of a vanished age constructed neat little trapdoors and false ceilings for the benefit of his highwaymen patrons, who, of course, were rarely free from the uncivil attentions of the Bow-street runners and officious persons of the Jonathan Wild stamp. Again, leading from one comer of the cellar is a long tunnel, well built Of st-out brick, which not so very many years back led down to the banks of the Thames. This■ was, it is said, Turpin’s tunnel, his means of escape to the river bank when threatened with capture. The manager not many days ago excavated a grave at the far end of this subterranean passage and found therein some human bones and a horseshoe.
Another old inn, the Vine, Highgate-road,. is also being demolished and rebuilt. Not so very long since the Vine was a pleasant rural inn, with seats outside, where in summer time wayfarers might be seen enjoying “ a modest quencher, served in its native pewter,” to use Mr. Bob Sawyer’s figurative Eastern language. The Woodman Inn is closely adjacent to the Vine, and it is not known which is the more ancient of the two.
At the 39th annual meeting of the shareholders of the Brighton Grand Hotel, held recently, the directors, in their annual report, stated that• the total receipts on trading had been £43,007 13s. 10d., as against £38,838 11s.
BOOKS
PUBLISHED AT THE
ESTATES GAZETTE OFFICE
For Cash with Order any Volume will be forwarded post free.
Crown 8vo.	Price, 2s. 6d
AGRICULTURAL RATES ACT, 1896, with Introduction and Notes, and the Agricultural Rates Order, 1896. A useful guide for Land Agents, Valuers and Agriculturists. By SIDNEY WRIGHT, M.A.
Second Edition.	Crown 8vo.
Price 6s. ; for cash, 5s. post free.
AUCTION LAW, A Handbook of.—An invaluable work of reference for Auctioneers. Revised, and brought up to date. By W. ARCHBUTT POCOCK, of the Middle Temple, Barriater-at-Law.
New {fifth) Edition.	Demy 8vo.
Prict 6s.; for cash 5s. post free.
THE AUCTIONEERS’ MANUAL, — A complete
Guide to the Law and Practice of Auctioneers. Contains Scales of Professional Charges, Forms of Agreement, Specimen Title Pages. Conditions of Sale and Catalogues, Methods of Keeping Accounts of Sales. &c.. &c. An entirely new edition. Revised and brought up to date by W. F. N׳'EEJ.
Crown 8vo. Price 4s. 6d. ; for cash 3s. 6d. post free.
COMMISSION CASES, A Compendium of.—Con-tains a collection of all important oases as to Auctioneers’ and Estate Agents' Commission. By G. ST. Leger Daniels, LL.B.(Lond.), of the Middle Temple
Rarrister-at-Law.
Crown 8vo. Price 12s. 6d.; for cash 10s. 6d. post free.
COMPENSATION: Principles and Practice.—A
comprehensive work on this important subject. It treats of the history and principles of Compensation Cases, the parties and subject matter of Claims and the preparation of same. Assessments for Compensation, etc., together with precedents for use under the Lands Clauses Act; the text of important statutes, and an index reference to all Compensation claims, keard and disposed of since 1885. By H. C. Richards, QC., M.P., of Gray’s-inn, and the Middle Temple. Barrister-at־Law, and J.P. H. SOPER Fsq״ B.A., LL.B., of LinmlrTs-inn, Bairister־at־Iaw
Second Edition.	Crown 8vo.
Price 6s.; for cash, 5s post free,
DILAPIDATIONS : The Law and Practice
of.—A valuable Guide and Handbook to this difficult subject. By A. T. MACER, P.A.S.L The legal matter revised by Sidney Wright m.a״ of the Middle Temple. Barrister-aVLaw. New Edition thoroughly revised and brought up to date.
Demy 8vo. Price 12s. 6d. ; for cash, 10s. 6d. post free. LANDED ESTATES, The Law relating to.— Land, Manor, Farm, Field, Crops, Stock, Labour, etc. This woik contains a resumé of the law upon the most important matters connected with the Sale, Purchase and Possession of Landed Property ; with an Appt ndix containing the Customs of the Country and the most important statutes connected with the subject. By Sidney Wright, M.a., of the Middle 1׳ empie, Barrister at-Law.
Crown 8vo. Price 6s. ; for cash, 5s. post free.
LEASES, Principles and Points.—A Handbook to
the law of Leases: for Landlords. Tenants, and House Agents By G. St. LFGER DANIELS, LL.B. (Lond.), of the Middle Temple. Bornster-ati-Law.
250pp. Ci’ou n 8vo.	Price 6s.; for cash, 5s. post free.
LIGHT AND AIR, The Law of.—This is one of the best text books on the subject of Light and Air yet published. The method of arrangement is so simple and complete as to make the present position of this difficult subject easy ot comprehension to both professional and lay minds. Illustrated by diagrams. By A. A. HUDSON, of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law ; and Arnold Inman, of the Inner Temple, Bariist^r-at-Law.
Crown 8vo. Price 6s. ; for cash. 5s post free
METROPOLITAN SANITATION, wnh Appendix.
—Containing the Public Health Act, 1891 ; the Bye-Laws issued by L.C.C. and local authorities; also the various Sanitary Regulations in force thiougb-out the Metropolis. w. HERBERT DAW, F.S.I.
Crown 8vo.	Price 6s. ; for cash, 5s. post free.
POTTERY AND	PORCELAIN.—A practical
handbook and guide to the vaiious Manufactuies of China. Faience and Enamels, both Engli h and Foreign ; with a concise explanation of the principal featuiesof each. Illustrated by the marks of the best-known facto lies
Crown 8vo, 600pp. Price 12s 6d.; for cash, 10s. 6d. post free RATING.—This work, which is written from a Surveyor’s standpoint, gives under three heads— Principles, Practice and Procedure—a clear and compiebensive survey of all the matters appertaining to this difficult subject. In addition to the pages devoted to the rating of land and buildings, exhaustive chapters are devoted to the complex points arising out of the rating of Railways, Canals, Tramways, Gas and Water Companies, Docks, Harbours and Piers. By P. MICHAEL FARADAY (Rating Surveyor), the Legal matter revised by STANLEY A. LATHAM, LL.B., of the Parliamentary Bar, A.I.C.A. F.tv.S.S.
New {third) Edition. Crown 8vo. Price 4s. 6d. ; for cash.
3s. 6d. post free.
LAW OF DISTRESS.—A comprehensive Guide, containing the text of the Law of Distress Amendment Act and the New Rules thereunder ; carefully revised, with References and Cases brought up to date. By G. St. Leger Daniels, LUB. (Lond.), of the Middle Temple, BflrnBtpr-at-Law.
Second Edition. Crown 8vo. Price 6s.; jor cash, 5s. post free THE LAW OF FIXTURES. — A concise manual on this important subject; with Appendix of Statutes, Leading Cases, &c. By SIDNEY Wright,M.A., of the Middle Temple, Barriater-at-Law, assisted by a Member of the Surveyors’Institution. New Edition carefully revised and brought up to date.
FRANK P. WILSON,
“ Estates Gazette,’’ 6, St. Bride Street. LONDON. E.O.